Reflections
by Windrider
Summary: Storm reflects on the changes in her teammates once she came back to the mansion - Currently on hold
1. Not all as it was

Reflections_ch1

Disclaimer: X-Men are the intellectual property of the Marvel group. They are being used without permission with no intention of profit.

Title: Reflections Chapter1

Summary: I love X-treme title. This is just a small work to show what would Storm would think of the change that occurred within the friends she left behind and things in general.

Let it be clear from the outset: I do not spy on anybody! Nor do I wish too. 

So I will not be diverging the fact that I spotted Emma Frost passionately kissing Scott Summers in the kitchen this morning.And I certainly will not let it slip that Scott answered Emma's kiss with equal passion. I do not think they saw me; I was huddled in the kitchen corner trying not to be seen while I was sipping my tea. I am a morning person unlike many other X-Men, so I try to get some peace and quiet by sitting in the corner not to be startled by someone who accidentally woke up before 10am.

I am however getting ahead of myself. After we found and destroyed Destiny's diaries we returned to Westchester. What we found was that the mansion became a school for mutants, open for all not just the select few. Although this change is positive our teammates have changed drastically and not necessarily for the best. 

The PROFESSOR is still angry with me for having done what I did, although he rationally approves of my decision he is emotionally hurt that I did not trust him and even suspected him being behind some of our enemies. Our friendship is torn and it will take a very long time for it to heal.

LOGAN mercifully is still very much like I remember him, although he became calmer and gentler. Logan has always been very gentle but it was evident to very few people. Only those who knew him very well, like Kitty, Jubilee and I knew the gentleness of his heart hidden behind the gruff exterior. Now, it is more evident and students flock to him. He is still Logan but more accessible to others.

JEAN, my heart breaks when I see how she changed. Scott and her are drifting apart more and more everyday and she cannot bear it. I always thought that in their relationship Scott gave Jean more love than she gave back, now I see it is the other way around She feels shut out; she no longer can feel their bond. She tried everything to get him back. Even tried to make him jealous by kissing Logan in front of him. Not the brightest thing she could come with but she was desperate. I fear for their marriage. She is so unhappy.

SCOTT is the one whose change was the most drastic. He is more open with his feelings. He is surer of himself, far more relaxed. He looks like a man who faced his demons and won. That I think made him reevaluate his life and people in it. He has a new outlook on life and I am afraid not all the change that occurred within him was positive. 

HANK has changed form yet again. He now looks more like his former self before he set up that tragic experiment. He is still blue but his fur is gone, his features are like any other human. He loves that form since it allows him to continue his research more efficiently. Jean has become quite a scientist since most of the time she spends helping Hank in his lab and teaching some classes. It makes feel better I think.

EMMA FROST, I never liked her. Now that I am forced to work with her I like even less. Spoiled and haughty she grates my nerves. Her second mutation to be invulnerable made her puffed up with her own self-importance than she is almost intolerable. She and Scott are inseparable lately. They became great friends in the past 2 years and that helped to alienate Scott from his wife even more. She often acts like she already has Scott. Needless to say that in the few Danger Room sessions I managed to 'accidentally' let a few lightning bolts fly very near her. That made her very uncomfortable. Admittedly it was not nice but I have the nasty habit to be prejudiced towards people who hurt my friends.

JUBILEE who had recently came to be an X-Man has matured; she is busy studying part-time in one of the correspondence universities. She has greater control of her powers and her personality continues to be sunny despite the hardships she endured. However the hostility between her and Jean she cannot disguise. She believes, quite strongly, that Jean's attraction to Logan spoiled his life and brought complications to her own. I think she's jealous of Logan's former attentions to Jean. Alas life is more complicated when it comes to relationships, things are never clearly defined.

  
Feedback would be nice as long as it is constructive.


	2. New habits and Sinister insurance compan...

Lately though, I am wondering about the direction my life has taken

Disclaimer: X-Men are the intellectual property of the Marvel group. They are being used without permission and no intention of profit.

Title: Reflections Chapter 2

Summary: I love X-Treme title. This is just a small work to show what Storm would think of the change that occurred within the friends she left behind and things in general.

As for myself, I am wondering about the direction my life has taken. A fair amount of my life had been spent fighting one villain after another, fighting bigots, living on the run on more than one occasion. After 2 years of tracking down Destiny's diaries I became accustomed to a different kind of life. It is still dangerous but I managed to see what is it like to live in some sort of semblance of normality. I found out that most humans especially outside USA knew very little of mutants. Most of them were willing to learn more and give us a chance.

We (the team) did fun things together, saw movies, and went to clubs, argued over books and theatre. We actually got along with each other with minimum amount of friction. Spain was something of a new beginning for us; some lost loved ones like Thunderbird some gained each other like Bishop and Rogue.

Those two, who would have thought! They argued a great deal, they still do it fairly often. She - the former terrorist and rogue; he - the law-abiding cop. The more they argued the more they found in common with each other. He taught her to take responsibility for her actions and she in turn taught to be a bit more free and relaxed. Them getting together affected Gambit greatly, although resistant to the idea at first he gradually accepted it. Rogue and him will always love each other and share a great bond but their paths were not meant to be together. Maybe the Bright lady intended it that way.

All this time taught me that there maybe is another way to promote peaceful human-mutant relations. The amount of mutants turning up all over the world has prompted United Nation and several other organizations to start campaigning for laws for mutants as well as organizing relief and support centers for them.Thanks to our affiliation with Interpol through Bishop and our friendship with high-ranking officials of Spain we have been invited to participate in one of those projects. We have yet to decide on whether to accept it.

To accept the invitation means that we have to leave the mansion yet again, this time probably to never return as X-Men. That bothers me, being an X-Man means more to me than being part of a group of people who try to promote peaceful human-mutant relations, I belong, I am part of one family who loves me, cares for me, picks me up when I am down and cheers me up when I need it most. To leave it again would probably be the most difficult thing I have ever done. Yet the prospect of taking up the invitation thrills me more than I care to admit. I feel that we would better serve the dream of peaceful co-existence by participating in projects such as these rather than fight.

At least the insurance companies will agree with me on this. The amount of damage inflicted during many of our battles is staggering. That brings me to an odd thought. Does Mr Sinister have insurance? If he does, how would the company get the letter through to him informing him that his premium went up: "Dear Dr Essex…." And how would he claim for his numerous laboratories. I just think he insures his Marauder clones for a hefty sum. One way to get to him, find out what company he is insured with. The idea is so ridiculous that I burst out laughing. Now THAT had startled Jubilee, I did not laugh very often before and it still comes as surprise to some. She carefully topped more Sugar bombs into the plate: "Everything all right Storm? "I just burst into another gale of laughter. "Fine child, just fine."

  


Next chapter will deal with the consequence of Scott and Emma's escapade. The insurance company idea was just too good to pass up.


	3. At breakfast(reworked)

Note from the author: I was very unhappy about the 3rd chapter and decided to rework it so the next chapter will be easier to understand. Disclaimer: X-Men are the intellectual property of the Marvel group. They are being used without permission with no intention of profit.  
  
Summary: Cyclops is not the bad guy but everyone behaves badly once in a while including the ol'e fearlees leader. Warning: I cannot duplicate Remy's speech so please think of his speech like he is saying it with Cajun accent. English is not my first language and although I am generally proficient with English saying or writing with an accent still eludes me, probably because I still have my own( Italics represent mental communication and thoughts  
  
  
  
At about 10 am the kitchen becomes alive with clicking noises of spoons mixing the serials or knifes slicing bacon. Most students dine in the dining hall but the seniors eat with the teachers. I finish up my yoghurt and muesli and was about to get up as the familiar voice calls me over. "Chere, wait up!" I smile at Remy Lebeau who is currently breaking hearts all over the senior student faculty by walking across the kitchen, calling out to me.  
  
He flashes me a devilishly handsome grin: "Good morning ma chere, would you care to have breakfast with me?" I cannot help but smile in return: "I already had my breakfast Remy, but I might stay for another cup of tea while you eat". At this point I am becoming aware of some of the female students staring longingly at Gambit. I am sure Gambit knows of his exceptional good looks but sometimes I wish he would not flaunt it so much. Jean sitting at another table directed a thought at me: "I am not meaning to be rude 'Ro, but could please direct Gambit to eat his breakfast outside for today? I need our telepathic students to strengthen their mental shields to avoid the increasingly lewd stream of thoughts when the ever- charming Mr Lebeau is around." At this point I notice one of the students furiously blushing while trying to avoid locking gazes with her neighbour who was staring at Gambit. "Would you care for an outdoor breakfast my friend?" - I ask as I direct him towards the terrace.  
  
As we leave Jean directs another thought " This whole thing can be controlled if you claim him as your own, no one is willing to risk a lightning bolt up his or her posterior for even the most handsome man." "Stop it Jean! I would not send a lightning bolt up anybody's posterior for anybody!" - I chide her mentally. "Are you sure?"- She winks at me but her mental tone is serious. Outside Remy begins to pick at his plate as I look at the mansion grounds. They are as beautiful as I remember them and familiar ache fills my heart. My decision might take me away from them forever this time. This probably reflected on my face since Remy puts his plate down and wraps his arm around my shoulders. "Still deciding about the UN proposal?" he asks gently. "I am torn Remy, this is my home, my family; I experienced so much in this house! To leave seems to betray those memories I hold dear."  
  
"You do not need to make a decision so quickly and you are not betraying anyone!"- He firmly states and pulls me into his embrace and we sit like this for a while not wanting to leave the comfort of each other's presence.  
  
Later during the day I meet up with Scott on some school business; when we finish he speaks of this morning's incident.  
  
"Ororo, if I may ask you a favour of not mentioning this to Jean." I raise an eyebrow: "Give me one good reason Scott" It is obvious he did not expect this response and makes his first mistake: "I do not believe my relationship with my wife is any of your business." "Ah, I see. Are Emma's lips your business then?" "Whatever is between Emma and I is between Emma and I." Although Scott speaks through clenched teeth his statement does not sound convincing, strangely I am not mollified: "Now I understand, your business is to make your wife miserable while you have an affair with a X-Men's former enemy!" It is my turn to speak through clenched teeth and the sky darkens in response to my anger.  
  
"It's complicated Ororo. This is the first time this happened and it will be the last. Just. things are very confusing at the moment and Emma is not helping matters." Scott's face is contorted with pain and I soften just for a moment. "You owe it to Jean, no, to yourself to sort it out between you two. Emma Frost will not be a distraction or a secret for long. The two of you had been through enough hardships to be stopped by anyone, much less someone like the White Queen." Scott seems thoughtful: "I'll talk to Jean. We're overdue for a talk. Our current status is not very pleasant." I nod in agreement not mentioning to Scott that it was unlikely I would have talked to Jean about this without talking to him first. It's hard enough as it is being friends with both of them, breaking Jean's heart by telling her what happened would set off a chain of events unwanted by everyone in the mansion, including Emma. Scott begins to walk out but stops suddenly: "It's good to have you back Windrider." And as he leaves he does not hear me whisper: "It is good to be back, O fearless leader." 


End file.
